When It’s Time to Spring Break (Yes, That’s a Verb)

That’s right, friends!! I just used spring break as a verb in the title of this post!! And, honestly, I did so for one very specific reason…

One of the hardest parts of being a freelance writer is making a clear distinction between my professional and personal life. Because I essentially work from home, those two worlds tend to blend together and it’s not always easy to “turn off” the work part of my brain. How do you clock out and unplug when your work desk is also the kitchen table?

Janelle is constantly asking me, “Are you going to actually take the weekend off?” because there’s always something I could be doing. And, unhealthy as it may be, I usually choose to do that thing. So it means that I don’t have many clear-cut weekends, and this, well, only leaves me frustrated and feeling like I’m running on empty.

Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love freelancing, but since I make my own schedule, I’m not always the best at the whole work-life balance thing. I’m trying, though, to make more of a concerted effort to strike a better balance.

And guess what? There’s no time like the present, right? So I’m starting this week! I thought spring break would be the perfect time too — spring is in the air, the season of renewal and growth, and that definitely applies to mind, body, soul and spirit too! To work on ourselves, to make better choices, to take some time to just relax and unwind, even if it’s only for a little bit.

My mom is on spring break this week, so I’m taking the week off too. It’ll be hard not to think about writing, ideas, blog posts, pitches I want to send, emails I need to follow up on, how my inbox is getting so out of hand that it might crush me like an avalanche…

NO, NO, NO.

Come on, Melissa, remember to focus on the present. I know. The work will still be there when I come back next week. But just please, can someone make sure Trump doesn’t do anything too outrageous or something that requires me to come out of hibernation and write an op-ed? Thank you!

I hope you all take some time this month to sit back and smell the beautiful spring flowers starting to bloom. And be sure to send me photos if you do! My hair may be a mess in this photo and I may be stressed to the max, but it’s spring!!! I wore my favorite bubblegum pink sweatshirt on the first day of spring so I pop just like spring!!

As I’m writing this post, I can hear my mom listening to music in the bedroom and Otis Redding’s “(Sittin’ On) The Dock Of The Bay” came on. And I was immediately transported to all our days in Alabama, where we literally sat on the dock of the bay. That was our paradise and that’s what I want to feel again — those happy days of just “wastin’ time.” Maybe this week will be a good first step.

I’ll be back to regular posting on Monday, April 1st — ACK, that’s April Fools’ Day!! As always, feel free to connect with me on Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Bloglovin! See you there, friends! And, please, don’t forget to take some time for YOU… xoxo